Bridge toll fight continues on several fronts

To all users of the Sakonnet River Bridge, and all those 37,000 people who took the time to sign the No Toll petition, please pass this information to all your friends, relatives, neighbors, and fellow workers.

The various groups working to stop the proposed the toll are working behind the scenes closely with the East Bay state senators and representatives.

Senator Felag and Representative Edwards have introduced bills and are in the process of getting signatures. Almost all of the East Bay elected officials have signed the bills. We will not know who has not signed those bills until January 20.

Once we do, we ask that if you know state senators or representatives on the mainland, ask them for their support for the bill repealing Article 20. We will get more information to you as soon as we can.

One key point for the elected folks on the mainland is that any toll is bad for the local economy and will have a spillover effect on the state economy and employment. We cannot afford to put up a toll in this state at all, anywhere. Secondly, money can be found within the $8 billion state budget for bridge maintenance.

Finally, we can continue to ask Senator Whitehouse for his support. He sits on the Transportation Committee. His chief of ctaff in Washington, DC is Sam Goodstein. Sam’s number is 202-224-2921. Call them and tell him that the economic and social impact studies that are required for the Federal Environmental Impact Statement were horribly inadequate.

One Comment;

RI is plainly and simply too small to introduce tolls anywhere new, they only affect the people that live here, unless you only want to enforce them on the populace that is moving out of RI, then you’d make a lot of money. Last one to leave please shut off the lights.